


True Night

by MaxBetta



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Vampires, mention of Petyr, sansan, vampire!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-05 06:00:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13381638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxBetta/pseuds/MaxBetta
Summary: Well, this was a fun little experiment.  Thanks for indulging me, you guys. Hope you had fun :)





	1. Chapter 1

 

Sansa breathed a sigh of relief that her date from hell was finally over.  She had never intended to go out with Petyr Baelish. She was repulsed by the notion, in fact. He had just happened to catch her behind the bakery counter at the absolute busiest time, and in all the chaos of the phone ringing and customers shouting, she had inadvertently accepted his dinner invitation. The date had gone about how she would have expected.  Petyr droned on and on endlessly about himself as she picked at her meal.  When the check came, he claimed to have forgotten his wallet, so she had to pay for both of them. As they walked out of the door of the restaurant and on to the sidewalk, he asked her if she’d like to go to his place.  When he didn’t get the answer he wanted, he became furious and stormed off, leaving her to walk home by herself. If only he had paid his half of the check, she would have had enough money to call a cab. Nevertheless, the walk was only a mile or two, so Sansa got started.

 

She was about halfway home, and in a particularly dark area of town, when she had the eerie feeling someone was watching her.  She looked around, but there was no one. Continuing further, she then began hearing footsteps.  She looked behind her twice, but still nobody was there.  The third time she looked behind her, however, she saw him. She could only make out his silhouette, but she could tell he was a thin man, and that he was following uncomfortably close behind her.  She quickened her pace, and he matched it instantly.  Sansa reached into her pocket for her phone. She was about to dial when she took one last look behind her, only to see the man was only a foot away now.  He lunged toward her, and just has he was inches from her face, a blur of darkness came out of nowhere and knocked him to the ground.

 

Sansa screamed and began running, until she heard the sound of two men arguing. She hid behind a bush and peeked to see the thin man that had been following her, and a much larger man holding him up off of the ground with a hand around his neck. Sansa took a look around her to see if there was anyone else nearby, or any houses that she could run to, but everything was dark and abandoned.  She turned back to look at the two men again, but only the large man remained, and he was headed straight for her.

 

She wanted desperately to run away, but she was frozen with fear.  He was easily four times her size, she didn’t stand a chance. The man’s steps slowed as he came closer. He stopped just a couple of feet away from her. Sansa could barely see more than the outline of him. He was tall, and broad, and appeared to be dressed in dark clothing that was in contrast to his pale skin.  She could make out that he had long dark hair, and that something was wrong with one half of his face, but most of him was hidden in the shadows.

 

“Stupid girl, walking alone in this city at night. Why would you do such a dumb thing?”

 

“What? I...I had no choice, I didn’t have the money for a ride.”

 

“Pretty boy steal all your money? That man is garbage. Who lets a woman walk alone? He’s not good enough for you, Sansa.”

 

“How do you know my name?”

 

“I know you very well, little bird. I’ve been watching you, following you, for quite some time now.”

 

Sansa still had her hand on her phone inside her jacket pocket. He was so close now, she decided there was no way she would be able to pull out her phone and dial 911 without him stopping her. All she could do was stand there and do her best to try and defend herself if he attacked.

 

“Your skin is the color of fresh cream, girl. You almost look like one of us. Almost. The delicate pink of your lips gives you away.”

 

“One of you?  What do you mean? Why have you been following me?”

 

“Tell me girl, what do you know about vampires?”

 

“Uh, I don’t know. They...they have fangs, and they drink blood, and they hate garlic...they’re allergic to sunlight or something, and they can turn into bats.”

 

“Most of that is true, but there is one more thing.  We each have a unique power, some call it a gift. My gift is empathy. Do you know what that means?”

 

“You can see my thoughts?”

 

“Not exactly. I can understand the feelings of others, at times even share them. I feel yours stronger than I’ve ever felt anyone’s. It’s been that way since the first day I saw you.”

 

“W...When did you first see me?”

 

“Seven months ago, at the bakery.  I found out later that it was your first day back to work after the death of your father.  You had gone behind the building to throw a bag of trash into the dumpster. When you were done, you sat on the ground and curled up into a ball, crying. Sobbing. You were inconsolable.” His tone became morose. “I was there.  I admit, I didn’t have the best of intentions. But in that moment, I felt your pain so badly it was crippling. The idea of harming you, or even walking away from you was...unthinkable. I couldn’t stay away from you, I had to make sure you were alright, little bird.”

 

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

 

“That day, you were crying so hard you were trembling - shaking like a little baby bird.”

 

Sansa was visibly uncomfortable that someone had witnessed her in such a vulnerable moment. “Whatever. I don’t need your protection.”

 

“Yes. Yes you do. Very much.”

 

“That creepy guy...nothing like this has ever happened to me before.”

 

“Yes it has.  There have been many times, you just haven’t known about them because I put a stop to it.”

 

“Who did you stop?”

 

“Other vampires, like the one who was just here. He won’t be bothering you anymore.  He won’t be bothering anyone.” His eyes met hers. “Female vampires want you dead, they’re jealous of your beauty, they see you as a threat. Male vampires want to turn you and make you theirs.”

 

“Why would they want to do that?”

 

“Look at yourself.” He took a step closer, placing one index finger on Sansa’s cheek. “Your alabaster complexion, that fiery red hair...your blue eyes are mesmerizing.  You are exceptional. What man wouldn’t want you by his side for all of eternity?”

 

Sansa noticed that the touch of his finger had been ice cold.  She turned her face away briefly to break the contact. She was incredulous. “This is insane. So you’re telling me that vampires are real, and my options are to be killed or turned by another vampire or to let you stalk me for life?”

 

“Yes, that is correct. I have been alive in this world for over seven hundred years. I have never wanted to protect someone as much as I want to protect you, Sansa. If you’ll allow me, I will make sure that no one ever harms you.” He took another step closer, Sansa’s fear increased. “You’re scared again. Don’t worry, girl.  I could never hurt you. My desire to safeguard you is greater than anything I’ve ever known.” He looked around, scanning their environment. “We need to end this conversation now. There are too many things that could go wrong if someone saw us. Go on, finish your walk home.”

 

Sansa took a step backward. “So, you expect me to walk away like normal and pretend this didn’t happen?”

 

“That’s right. Goodnight Sansa. Sleep well, little bird.”

 

“Goodnight.”

 

Once again, there was a blur of darkness, and then he was gone. Sansa knew he wasn’t really gone. He would always be there, making sure she was safe, watching over her. And strangely, it gave her comfort.


	2. Chapter 2

It was the day after Sansa had met the strange man in the darkness, a self-professed vampire, and she was at work, the bakery busier than ever. She and her coworker Margaery were swamped with customers left and right.  When there was finally a moment when things had seemed to slow down for the evening, Sansa told Margaery she was going to clean up a bit and take the trash out. She gathered the garbage from all of the cans around the dining area, as well as the food waste from the kitchen. Sansa made her way out the back door, thankful for the fresh air.  She threw all four bags into the dumpster one by one.

 

“Nice to see you, little bird.”

 

Sansa whipped around to face her unexpected company, startled. It was the man from the night before. “Oh, it’s you. Hi.”

 

“Hello Sansa.  How is your night going?”

 

“Okay, I guess. It’s not fair, you know.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

 

“What isn’t fair?”

 

“You know my name, but you never gave me yours.”

 

He couldn’t help but give a small grin, she was right. “My name is Sandor. Are things fair now?”

 

“Almost.” She looked around to make sure no one was within earshot of what she was about to say. “Last night, you said some things that didn’t make sense.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Well, you said that female vampires would want me dead, that I was a threat. What did you mean by that?”

 

His face became very serious. “I meant that Vampire women often lure their victims with their powers of seduction. It’s less hunting, more flirting. They find a man somewhere, laugh at his stupid jokes, make him feel attractive, and then they suggest going somewhere that they can be alone. It’s easy for them. Men are very weak like that.”

 

“Okay, but what does that have to do with me?”

 

“Sansa, you are stunning.  How could any other woman hope to seduce a man with you in the room, the focus of all male attention?”

 

Sansa blushed with embarrassment.  “Oh. Okay.” She still needed to know more. “About the men, you said that they wouldn’t want to kill me, that they would want to change me and make me theirs. How is that possible?”

 

“When a vampire changes a human into another vampire, they are forever connected to one another. A male will often turn a woman and then take her as a wife of sorts. With your sweet face and your...the rest of you. Let’s just say that you would be found a most desirable candidate.” Sansa was blushing again, but managed to look up at him.

 

He could sense something within her. “You aren’t satisfied. You still want to know more.”

 

She stepped closer to him. “Yes. If what you say is true, that you’re protecting me from all of those terrible things...why don’t you turn me yourself?  Women wouldn’t need to feel threatened by me anymore and I wouldn’t be available for other men to take.  Wouldn’t that be easier than following me everywhere?”

 

He couldn’t deny, she had a point. “Sansa...I am not the sort of man to force a woman to be with me. I want someone who is there by choice or not at all.”

 

Sandor’s words softened Sansa a bit, but she was still curious. She took yet another step closer, now she was looking straight up at him.  “Why are you here?  Why do you feel this intense need to protect me? Why not someone else?”

 

“Sansa, I told you.  That day when I saw you, right here where we’re standing, I could feel everything you were feeling so deeply. I hurt so badly for you. I couldn’t stand the idea of anyone hurting you again.”

 

“I...I just don’t get it.” Sansa put her head down and looked at the ground, making a line in the dirt with one of her shoes.

 

Sandor put his index finger under her chin and lifted her face so that it was looking up at his again. “There is something about you that is...inexplicable. If only we could switch bodies, if you could be in here, feeling what I’m feeling, then maybe you would understand.”

 

Sansa’s eyes widened at his words. She was able to get a better look at his face tonight. Even with the scarring on his one cheek, he was handsome. And for some reason, he cared about her. She couldn’t remember the last time a man other than her father had ever cared about her. She wasn’t sure anyone ever had. What he had said just now was so sincere, she could feel it affecting her. A slow warmth spread in her chest at his confession.

 

Sandor let go of her chin and backed away. “I need to go. We can’t be seen together like this.”

 

"Then why do you keep showing up and talking to me?"

 

He hesitated to answer. "Some temptations are strong." He turned and began walking away.

 

“But Sandor, wait…” The back door of the bakery quickly swung open, and Margaery poked out her head.

 

“Sansa, it’s time to close up. Can you give me a hand?”

 

“Sure, I’ll be right in.”

 

Sansa would have said goodbye to Sandor, but he was already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been three weeks since Sansa had seen Sandor, three weeks since he no doubt sensed what had been going on inside of her. The days had come and gone as usual, with Sansa working full-time at the bakery five days a week and spending her two days off in her apartment.  She liked it that way. In her mind, the best feeling was having nowhere to go, being free to do nothing. She wondered, though, why she hadn’t seen him. Was he avoiding her? She would sometimes talk to him while she was at work. Not directly, of course, but any time she had to take the trash out, she’d speak softly, lingering around the dumpster for longer than necessary. She would ask if he was there, if he was mad, why he wasn’t visiting her...she never received any answers.

 

Tonight was Sansa’s idea of perfection. A home cooked meal, and binge watching TV shows until she was tired enough to go to bed. She was sitting on her white couch, eating a bowl of fettuccine alfredo and watching her fifth episode of the evening when she felt a presence. A pair of cold hands came from behind her and rested on the tops of her shoulders. _Sandor_. She put her bowl down on the coffee table and turned around.  She screamed.  It wasn’t him.

 

“Don’t worry, love. I’ll try my best to make it happen fast.” With a speed unlike anything she had ever seen before, he knocked her flat onto the ground, and then he was on her. He was pinning her arms down so that she couldn’t move. He sniffed her face. “Such beauty should be made eternal.” Sansa was frozen with fear. She had no voice, and her breath was caught in her throat. He was bringing his mouth to her neck when a loud crashing sound filled the apartment. It was the unmistakable sound of glass breaking, and it came from the kitchen nearby. Less than two seconds later, he was off of her, and she felt light as a feather. He had been flung across the room like a ragdoll. She couldn’t see what was happening over in the corner of her living room, it was too dark, but she could hear the sounds of struggle. After a couple of minutes, there was a body lying in a heap on the floor, and an ominous figure was making its way toward her. The light of her TV illuminated their face.  It was Sandor. “You’re alright, little bird.  I’m almost finished. Bring me a knife with a wooden handle.”  Sansa stood quickly and ran into the kitchen, carefully avoiding stepping on the broken glass that littered the tile floor.  She grabbed a chef’s knife with a dark wood handle and brought it to him. “Go back into the kitchen and wait. You don’t have to see this.”

 

“No. I want to. I have to know what to do.”

 

He shrugged, sighed, and returned to the man that was lying on the floor. He picked him up with one hand, and with the other, he pierced the man’s chest with the blade of the knife.  Then, he withdrew the knife, turned it around, and plunged the wooden handle into the hole he’d just made. The man vanished into a pile of ash, causing the knife to fall to the floor. Sandor walked over to Sansa, holding her tightly to him for just a few seconds, until she pushed away. “Where were you?”

 

“I was hunting in the forest, I got here as quickly as I could.”

 

“Okay, that explains tonight.  Now where have you been for the past three weeks?”

 

“I’ve been around, you just haven’t seen me.”

 

“And why is that?” Every word out of her mouth was dripping with exasperation.

 

“I just think it’s best.”

 

“The last time I saw you, you left without even saying goodbye.  Did I say something to offend you?”

 

“No, no.  It wasn’t that.”

 

“Then what was it?”

 

He wasn’t going to get out of this easily. “You were feeling things that...would make everything complicated. It made me uncomfortable.”

 

“So when things get uncomfortable, you think it’s acceptable to just bail?”

 

“It’s not ideal, but in certain situations...yes.”

 

Sansa was deep in thought, it was evident on her face. “I can’t do this anymore.”

 

“Can’t do what?”

 

“This thing where everything is on your terms.  The only time I see you is when you feel like showing up. And when it isn’t convenient to deal with me anymore, you ignore me and disappear for weeks at a time.  I can’t do this.”

 

“Sansa, I know that you’re upset, but I just couldn’t let things go the direction they were going.”

 

“And what direction were they going?”

 

Sandor took a long pause, he knew he needed to choose his words carefully. “You were feeling things for me.”

 

“Oh yeah?  What kind of things?”

 

“Sansa, it’s not important, we just have to…”

 

“No, I want to hear it. Oh great and powerful Sandor, what was I feeling that made you so unc…”

 

“Love.”


	4. Chapter 4

Love. How could Sandor even suggest that Sansa loved him?  Could he be right? No, he must have misread something.

 

“Sandor, I don’t love you.  In fact, I don’t love anyone.”

 

“Sansa, you can say that if you want, but I know what I sensed in you.”

 

“Look, I’m not going to argue, but it’s clear that you find it distasteful. Must be disgusting to you.”

 

“It’s not that.”

 

“Then what is it?”

 

“It’s everything...everything that is different about you and me.  I don’t eat food like a normal person.  I don’t sleep. I can’t warm you when you’re cold, my arms around you would only make you colder. I don’t age.  Fifty years from now, you will be this beautiful wrinkled old woman and I will still look like this. How would you explain that? Would you tell people that I was your son? Grandson?”

 

She gave him her most inquisitive look. “Soo...are you saying that you love me?”

 

“In a way, yes.”

 

“Then why all the theatrics?  Why can’t you just relax and let us be together?  You can’t seem to stay away from me, anyway, so why not embrace it?”

 

Sandor stepped closer, holding her face in his hands, looking down at her with a sorrowful expression. “Because I...crave you. I’ve never wanted someone so much in all of my years of living, and that terrifies me.”

 

“So be terrified.” Sansa grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down toward her, giving him a fierce, heated kiss. To her surprise, he didn’t pull away or try to stop it.  He surrendered, then reciprocated, ravaging her lips with possessive kisses of his own. They both relaxed their mouths open, their tongues mingling. His mouth was much warmer than she had imagined. The moment was...consuming. It was as if she was melting into him, like they weren’t two seperate people any more.

 

When they finally stopped, Sandor rested his forehead on hers, her face still in his hands. “We need to find a way to keep you safe.”

 

She knew what she wanted to suggest, and there was no stopping her know. “Turn me.”

 

Sandor became enraged at her words, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her away from him. “Never. Don’t even think about that.  Do you know what it’s like?  Do you know what you would have to give up? Do you have any idea what it’s like to live forever and see everyone you know die? I won’t do that to you.”

 

“Calm down. Listen. I have no one. My entire family is dead. I don’t have any close friends. Nobody would miss me.  The only person I care about in my life right now is you, and we would be together. But maybe that’s the problem.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Maybe you’re scared because if you turned me, I’d be tied to you forever.  You wouldn’t be alone anymore, you’d be stuck with me. Variety is the spice of life.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous.  There isn’t anyone else I want to be with. I just...I don’t think you’re fully comprehending the consequences.  It would be very painful, and it’s not an exact science, it’s very much trial and error.  If I did it wrong...if I hurt you, or worse, killed you...I can’t even think about it.”

 

She stood in front of him and took his hands in hers. “Sandor, I want to be with you, and I know that you want to be with me.  Whatever this is, we’re in it. It has us, and it isn’t letting us go, so we might as well learn to live with it. There is nothing for me in this life.  Before you, my closest relationships were with TV characters. Other than my late father, no man has ever loved me or cared for me the way that you do.  That has to be worth something.”

 

His expression had softened, and now it was a look of contemplation. “If it worked, which is a hell of a risk, it would mean that you would be safe. You would be of no use to the others. They wouldn’t come for you anymore.”

 

“Exactly.  So what happened tonight wouldn’t happen again. All the more reason to do it. Can we just do it?  I’m ready!”

 

“Not tonight.  I want you to at least sleep on it. I’ll come back in the morning and we’ll talk about it then.”

 

She wanted to cry in disappointment, but she knew he was only looking out for her. “Sandor, would you stay here tonight? After everything that’s happened, I don’t want to be alone.”

 

“Of course, little bird.” He scooped her up, carried her into the bedroom, and gently laid her on the bed. He gave her a sweet kiss on the lips, said good night, and sat in the upholstered chair in the corner of the room.

 

“Aren’t you going to sleep in the bed with me?”

 

“I don’t sleep, remember?”

 

“Oh, right. Forgot. It must be amazing, never having to sleep...you know, all those extra hours to do stuff.”

 

“It gets quite boring, actually. But I suppose it depends on who you share the time with. “ He gave her a subtle grin. “And of course, a good book can make all the difference in the world.”

  


“There’s a bookcase in the living room, lots of books to keep you company while I snore.”

 

“I’ll take a look, but tales of unruly stable hands defiling farmer’s wives aren’t really my thing.”

 

“Hey, I’ll have you know there’s some classy stuff in there too. “

 

“I believe you, little bird.  Good night.”

 

“Good night, Sandor.” Knowing he was there made sleep come easy. She didn’t stay up all night tossing and turning, weighing the pros and cons. She knew before closing her eyes what her decision would be in the morning. It was just a matter of whether or not he would accept it.


	5. Chapter 5

Sansa awoke to complete darkness. She leaned toward her bedside table to pick up her phone and check the time...2pm. Just as she was questioning her sanity, Sandor entered the room.

 

“Hey sleeping beauty. I covered all the windows with aluminum foil while you slept.  It blocks the sun better than those frilly curtains you have.”

 

“Morning. Sorry, I forgot. Does sunlight kill you?”

 

“No, I’m just extremely sensitive to it. You know how your body reacts to nails on a chalkboard? That’s what sunlight does, not deadly, but terribly uncomfortable.”

 

Sansa rubbed her eyes and sat up in the bed to face him. “I haven’t changed my mind, you know. I still want to do it.”

 

He took it much better than she was expecting. “I figured. Look, I’m not going to fight you about it. If it’s really what you want, and you’ve thought it through from every possible angle, then I’ll go along with it.” He walked closer to her, leaning over the edge of the bed and placing his hands on her cheeks. “I have to admit, the idea of having you with me forever is...enticing.” He placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

 

“Having you by my side is pretty appealing, too.”

 

“Well then, what do you say we get you something to eat. It’ll probably be your last meal.  Well, your last of this kind of meal.”

 

Sansa stood and wrapped her arms around Sandor’s waist. “Oh yeah, I guess I’ll need to figure that out, too. So many new things to consider.”

 

“Don’t worry, little bird.  I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

 

***

 

After watching Sansa devour a plate of scrambled eggs and buttermilk pancakes in her small apartment kitchen, Sandor couldn’t help but feel conflicted.  Here she was, this beautiful, pure woman with her rosy cheeks and perfect pink lips, her skin that felt so warm against his, and she wanted to change. She wanted to become like him, what some would call a monster. He had decided, though, that he wasn’t going to talk her out of it. He had watched her sleep peacefully, knowing that she would still want to go through with it, and he decided during that time that he wouldn’t try to stop her.

 

It was now late afternoon and Sansa was bursting with excitement. “Can we do it now?  I’m ready. Can we do it?”

 

“Not yet, little bird. Too much light. I know just the place, but we have to wait until dark.”

 

Dissatisfied, Sansa slumped down onto her tiny couch and Sandor sat next to her. Sansa picked up the remote and began flipping through channels when an all too familiar vampire movie came on. “Do you ever feel jealous that you don’t sparkle?”

 

Sandor laughed heartily. “No,  not one bit. But I am jealous of the yellow eyes, though, those are kind of cool. I hate that stupid movie, completely unrealistic.”

 

“Yeah, I mean, to think that a male vampire would fall in love with a human woman, it’s just unheard of.”  They both shared a chuckle.

 

After a few hours of watching mindless TV, Sandor took a look at the display on the microwave. It was time.  “Come, little bird. We can go now if you’re ready. Wear comfortable shoes, we’re going to do some walking.”

 

Sandor took Sansa by the hand and together they walked through the woods behind her apartment building. Between the dark of night and the canopy of the trees, it was difficult to see anything, but the moonlight shone just enough that Sandor was able to keep them going in the right direction. After almost two hours of walking, they came upon a small structure. It appeared to be a run down shack, the type that is usually seen on the side of an old country road. Sandor opened the door, ushered Sansa inside, and securely locked the door shut behind her. He lit a few candles, their amber glow revealing a quaint kitchen and tiny living area, as well as a small cot in one corner. “This is the safest place to do it. There’s nobody for miles, and hunting season is over, so there shouldn’t be any disruptions.”

 

“Okay. What do you need me to do?”

 

“Follow me to the cot and lay down.” Sandor picked up one of the candles and brought it to the corner of the room, resting it on a small table that was next to the bed. Sansa did as instructed, and he gave her one last warning. “Sansa...this is going to hurt. It’s going to be awful, and I can’t do anything to stop it once it starts.  This is your last chance.  Are you one hundred percent sure?”

 

“Yes. Do it.”

 

Sandor kneeled onto the floor beside the bed and reached out, grabbing one of Sansa’s arms. “I’m going to do it to your wrist...it goes faster that way because it's a pulse point.” Holding her arm with both of his hands, he took one last look down at her creamy skin. He drew her wrist to his lips, placing one kiss, and then he opened his mouth, sinking his teeth into her vein. Sansa immediately screamed in agony, the venom sending torturous shooting pains throughout her body. Sandor was in agony as well, not only from seeing her but from also feeling everything she felt, it was almost worse. His vision became a blur because of the tears that were forming in his own eyes. He persisted, knowing that he had to bite her long enough to fully inject her with enough venom to successfully turn her, but short enough that she didn’t bleed to death. Sansa broke out in a sweat, her body writhing on the cot, her head whipping from side to side as if it were out of her control. Then, when he felt the time was right, Sandor stopped. He removed his mouth from her wrist and held her hand, waiting with her, whispering loving words to her, making sure that she knew she was not alone and that it would all be over soon.

 

Sansa’s body continued to seize for a few more minutes of misery. When she finally stopped, Sandor noticed her hand now felt cool, not hot like it once had been. Her complexion now looked like the cool white moonlight they had walked through earlier. “Sansa?  Sansa, can you hear me?  I think it’s done.”

 

Sansa’s lips, now also pale, twitched and parted slightly. “I’m...I think I’m okay.” She slowly opened her eyes, fluttering her lashes a few times, then turned her head to look at Sandor.

 

He let out a slight gasp.

 

“What?  What is it?”

 

“It’s your eyes. They’re different.”

 

“Different how?”

 

“Come with me.” Sandor picked Sansa up and carried her to the small bathroom. He stood her in front of the mirror and told her to wait.  A moment later, he came back with a candle. “Here, hold this close to your face and look in the mirror.”

 

Sansa did as he asked, and she let out a gasp as well.  Her eyes that had always been a sapphire blue, were now a deep amethyst violet. “Did you know something like this could happen?”

 

“I knew they could change color, but usually they change to blue, and yours were blue already, so I thought they would just stay the same.”

 

Sansa kept looking herself over in the mirror. “I like it.”

 

“Me too.” Sandor put his arms around her, leaning down to kiss her forehead, then her eyelids, and finally her lips.

 

“Sandor?”

 

“Yes, little bird?”

 

“I’m hungry.”


	6. Chapter 6

Sansa sat on the edge of the little cot, arms crossed, rocking herself back and forth. Her decision had come to her much easier than she ever would have expected. She could have chosen an animal for her first meal. A rabbit would have been enough for practice, a deer would have been enough to feed both her and Sandor...but she chose a man.  Not just any man, the man she hated more than any other walking the Earth. Ilyn Payne. 

 

Ilyn Payne was the loan officer at Baratheon Bank. He had a nice office with huge windows and expensive furnishings.  Sansa knew this because she had been in it before. A few years back, her father, Ned Stark, had applied for a business loan. He wanted to purchase the bakery that had been in his family for decades. Unfortunately, the previous owner, his sister Lyanna, wasn’t good with money and left the place in a financial ruin. After her death, Ned worked like a dog and planned for what seemed like months in order to present himself to the bank in the best light. He was sure he would get the loan, there was no doubt in his mind. Ilyn Payne had the reputation for being a tough and rigid representative for the bank, but Ned was sure that with his preparations there would be no issue acquiring the loan, and then the bakery.

 

Sansa and Ned had entered the office full of hope and excitement, and left less than thirty minutes later, defeated and full of sorrow. Denied.  Just like that, it was over. Sansa wiped away tear after tear the whole way home while her father shook his head over and over, not understanding what had gone wrong. The next afternoon, however, it all became clear. A customer informed Sansa that within minutes of the Starks leaving his office, Ilyn Payne had called the bank that owned the bakery and bought it outright. He didn’t deny the loan because of Ned, he denied it because he wanted to buy the bakery himself. It was the only bakery in town, after all, and despite bad management of funds, it did quite a bit of business. Sansa had been livid. Not only had the man denied her father a loan, but now he owned the very bakery she worked at.  He was her boss.

 

For the next couple of years, Sansa’s work life was hell. Ilyn Payne thought of the business first, and the employees came dead last. Sansa and Margaery were overworked and underpaid, but if they ever spoke a word of it to Mr. Payne, he threatened to terminate their employment. So, desperate for income, they both stayed and kept their mouths shut. Until now.

 

Sansa could hear footsteps approaching the cabin door. One set sounded heavy, the other was more of a dragging noise. Sandor shoved the door open and flung Ilyn Payne onto the floor, slamming the door shut behind them. Payne was gagged and hogtied. He looked like a cow that had been lassoed by a cowboy at a rodeo. Even in the dark of the cabin, Sansa could see his wrinkled skin, almost grey in color. His eyes were as big as saucers, and his grotesque nose was running, the glistening liquid dripping onto the scarf that was stuffed into his mouth.

 

“Sansa, there’s no turning back now.  If you don’t do it, I have to.  Do you understand?”

 

Sansa nodded confidently. “I understand that this man killed my father. Not directly, but he caused such stress and turmoil in his life that he had a heart attack and didn’t survive. You saw me that day by the dumpster. Do you think I’m unsure of this?”

 

“No. I guess not.” Sandor motioned for her to come closer. Leaving Ilyn on the floor, he grabbed the top off his head and pushed it to the side, then tapped on his neck with a couple of thick fingers. “See that vein? That’s the best place to do it. Don’t be nervous, it will come naturally to you. Just bite him there and you’ll know what to do.”

 

Sansa nodded, then dropped to her knees next to the awful man. The thought of putting her mouth anywhere on his body disgusted her, but she knew that she wanted him dead, and this was the only way. As she drew nearer, Ilyn screamed, but his sounds were muffled by the fabric bunched in his mouth. Sansa hesitated for a moment, then went for it. She bit Ilyn on the neck, right where Sandor had shown her. He was right, it became natural. It felt good, in fact. As the blood poured from the wound she’d created, her tongue began a lapping motion all on its own. She swallowed the warm liquid down, surprised at how delicious it was. Within moments, the man’s body had gone limp. When Sansa had eaten enough, she sat up and motioned for Sandor to take his turn, and he did. He drank every last drop of what was left, until Ilyn Payne was nothing more than a husk of the man he used to be.

 

“What do we do with the body?” In Sansa’s imagination, she had thought the body would just somehow disappear...she felt silly now.

 

“I’ll cut it up into pieces and burn it. I know it’s gruesome, but it’s the only way to destroy the evidence.”

 

Sansa nodded in approval.  “Thank you. For doing this. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you.”

 

“You don’t have to do that, little bird. You staying by my side is thanks enough.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. He kissed Sansa with such fervor that she almost fell backward. They laughed, and she kissed him back, matching his intensity.

 

Sansa pulled away briefly and looked up at him. “Sandor...will it always be like this?”

 

“Yes, Sansa. My little bird. It will always be like this. It is you and I forever. Forever is ours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was a fun little experiment. Thanks for indulging me, you guys. Hope you had fun :)


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